Diving footballers told to take a running jump

THE diving, shirt-pulling and play-acting of some of Britain’s highest-paid footballers has been noticed at the highest level.

After a series of complaints from teachers that children were copying their heroes’ unsportsmanlike behaviour, Richard Caborn, the Sports Minister, decided to write to every professional club, appealing for footballers to play fair, it emerged yesterday.

“Richard did this not just to remind players of their responsibility on the field to show fair play and adhere to the rules, but off the pitch as well,” the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said.

Details were disclosed in a report on role models in sport from the Commons select committee that monitors the department. Alan Keen, MP, a member and chairman of the all-party football group, said that…